Side activated safety scalpel for left and right hand users with blade removal system

ABSTRACT

A surgical scalpel is presented which combines the attributes of cost-effectiveness in design while being ambidextrous and autoclavable. The design of the device affords left handed or right handed medical personnel with the feel, weight and balance of the original metal unguarded scalpel, while maintaining safety through the shielding of the blade during non-use and the ability to dispose of the blade in a safe controlled manner without having to place ones hands near the unguarded sharp. Surgeons of either dexterity are able to learn and operate using similar techniques and instruments heretofore not available to them. No longer must a left handed surgeon be forced into the right handed world to perform surgery. The device is designed to use existing styles of blades currently available without needing costly inventories of specially created blades for the multitude of other such devices on the market.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/802,522, filed Mar. 13, 2013, entitled “SideActivated Safety Scalpel for Left and Right Hand Users with BladeRemoval System,” which claims benefit of provisional application No.61/685,480, filed Mar. 19, 2012, entitled “Side Activated Safety Scalpelfor Left and Right Hand Users with Blade Removal System,” the entiredisclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention covers the field of application where users are needingprotection from accidental punctures from scalpel blades during the useand storage of surgical scalpels. More importantly, this inventionallows the user of the device to be either left or right handed whilestill being able to use the device with the controlling mechanismlocated next to the user's thumb. The user of this invention also isable to ascertain the position of the shield through tactile sensoryperception as well as having the safety of knowing that removal of theblade is only accomplished by a secondary ejectment location of theshield which is not part of the normal operation of the shield.

Each year many users accidentally slice or puncture themselves withsharp instruments either during use, during transfer from one person toanother or from inadvertent misplacement of sharps in potentiallydangerous locations. This is especially dangerous in the medical arena,as potentially fatal diseases can be spread through accidental contactwith sharps. Emergency Rooms are battlegrounds compared to the operatingrooms where quick action amongst many people are required to save lives.Sharp protection is a must and must be easy to operate. Prior art isreplete with many different style of devices that act to cover sharpblades.

There are 4 main types of prior art that exists to prevent users fromaccidental contact with sharp blades. The 4 areas involve deviceswhere 1) the sharp is retracted into the body of the device; 2) wherethe device is a disposable or single use application, where the entiresharp with the handle is not reused; 3) a device that moves in anon-linear fashion to cover the blade while it is not in use; and 4)those devices which remove a detachable blade from the handle of thedevice. Only the fourth types of devices are applicable to thisinvention as the shield slides in a linear path along the handle.

The fourth arena of the prior art involves the use of devices wherebythe sharp is attached to and then removed from the handle. In one group,there are those devices where the sharp is directly attached to thehandle and another group contains devices where the sharp is placed intoa cartridge which is then placed upon the handle. Both groups involvehandling of the sharp prior to it's inclusion into some protectivecover, increasing the chance of accidental puncture. In the first group,Herbert et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,771 issued on Feb. 9, 1999, Newmanet al in U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,925 issued on Sep. 30, 2003 and van derWesthuizen et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,494 disclose the procedure ofattaching the sharp to the handle and then attaching a sliding bladeguard. Once the sharp is used, the blade can be removed along with theguard. Herbert uses existing style surgical handles, while van derWesthuizen and Newman use a unique handle that is modified at the distalend of the handle nearest the sharp, to receive the guard. Both devicesrequire the user to load the sharps device onto the handle, requiringthe unguarded sharp to be handled by those that the device is designedto protect, and often those people are wearing gloves which will reducetactile feel. In a different approach disclosed by Noack in U.S. Pat.No. 5,312,429 issued on May 17, 1994, where a unique blade with anopposed tang is removed by sliding blade release element when theelement is slid down the handle toward the sharp. This is a two handedoperation involving two separate pieces. In the sliding of the element,if one's hand slips from the element it would be certainly by cut by theexposed blade. Also the blade is without direction or restraint whenreleased from it's location on the handle. It could fly anywhere in theoperating room as there is tension built up between the tang of theblade and the rest of the blade that was forced over the post on thehandle.

Cartridge types highlighted by U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,999 to Griffin et alissued on Apr. 24, 2007, show the use of a cartridge that contains theblade for the scalpel. The cartridge doubles as a shield when it isretracted over the handle after the attachment of the blade to the tangof the handle. Each cartridge is unique to a particular style of bladeand requires a two handed operation to remove and attach the blade. Thisextra cartridge material creates costly waste. It is also againstcurrent disposal regulations to mix plastics with metals sharpscontainers are they require different disposal techniques. U.S. Pat. No.7,172,611 issued to Harding et al on Feb. 6, 2007 shows anothercartridge but this one is required to use a special blade with“non-arcuate” holes which increase the cost and decreases it'seffectiveness to be used with a broad range of access. All cartridgestyle scalpels use the removal of the cartridge that contains the bladeas the means for blade removal. Though safe, these devices are limitedby needing unique cartridges to hold the wide variety of bladesavailable.

Another adaptation of this concept, which is closer to the currentinvention, is found the series of patents from Jolly et al, U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,827,309; 5,752,968 and 5,792,162 issued Oct. 27, 1998, May 19,1998 and Aug. 11, 1998 respectively. These Jolly patents show a bladeremover which first removes the tang of the blade from the post into anotch on the sliding guard. Then '968 discloses that “guard 30 can beadvanced distally to force blade 50 from blade carrier”. The built instresses mentioned above are now increased with a forcible removal ofthe blade with the sliding guard, increasing the chance for the blade tomisdirected about the operating room. In the second group, Gharibian inU.S. Pat. No. 5,527,329 issued on Jun. 18, 1996 and Cohn et al in U.S.Pat. No. 5,938,676 issued on Aug. 17, 1999 disclose the use of acartridge system whereby the sharp is placed into a cartridge which isthen encased by a guard prior to it's placement onto the handle. Thisoperation is safer as the sharp is guarded during assembly but creates asituation as each discloses a unique handle designed to receive thecartridges and shields. Cohn et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,892 issued onAug. 24, 1999 combines prior art by incorporating the cartridge conceptthat is “removably retained within the cavity” in the handle. This is asafe alternative but uses unique handles. All of the prior art in thissection requires the use of two hands to safely operate the device whichis at odds with current FDA compliance rules.

In the last arena of prior art, a guard is placed around a stationeryblade. There is nothing unique about the concept, and it's applicationcan be seen from the simple to the complex. Applications of a morecomplex nature are found in Abidin et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,669issued on Sep. 2, 1997 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,281 issued on Oct. 29,1996, Jolly et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,289 issued on Apr. 21, 1998,Matwijcow in U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,696 and Dolgin et al in U.S. Pat. No.5,071,426 issued on Dec. 10, 1991. Matwijcow discloses a rack and pinionsystem for movement of the guard over the blade which causes a reversesequence of logic, as the user needs to pull back to move the guardforward. This could be confusing in the fast paced operating room whereseveral different type of devices might be used at once. Doig in alsouses a “linkage system” to extend the blade guard “over a substantiallygreater distance than the distance which the surgeon's fingers move inoperating the actuating mechanism”. This is unnecessarily complex andexpensive concept using unique handles which requires manual loading ofthe blades onto the handle. Jolly provides for both linear actuation ofthe guard along with a rotational movement of the guard and blade awayfrom the handle for cleaning purposes. This device is complex andexpensive to manufacture and use. The Abidin '281 patent discloses aguard which “comprises an inverted Li-shaped channel membertelescopically mounted within the hollow handle for sliding movementtherein”. It is held in position by exposed an exposed pin which wouldbe in the way of the surgeon's hands and could be accidentally triggeredto move at the improper time. This device is also not usable withcurrently used scalpels and it requires a unique handle. Abidin '669 isanother internally guided blade guard with a unique handle. But thispatent also discloses in column 10 line 11, that it does not work withconventional scalpel blades. '669 does combine a blade guard and a bladeejector, but FIG. 36 details the need for two handed operation to removethe blade. FIG. 45 and FIG. 48 show that the blade is not restrainedafter it is removed from the handle, and as described above, there is aconsiderable amount of tension on the blade. The disclosure details theadded tension as the guard actually pushes the blade off of the postupon which it is attached. There is nothing to restrain the loose blade.An unrestrained blade could fly off anywhere in the operating room andthis is not a safe method of removal. '669 also discloses in FIG. 32 thecomplicated way of attaching the blade with two small pins, which wouldbe very difficult with gloved hands in a hurried operating room. FIG.130 of '669 shows the user sliding the guard forward using theirforefinger, which would present an obvious problem should the guardbecome slippery due to bodily fluids, and the users finger slips fromthe guard onto the exposed blade.

The inventor of this current invention has his own prior art in thefield of scalpels that have a blade that is attached/detached from ahandle, but differ substantially from the current invention. U.S. Pat.No. 8,156,653 issued on Apr. 17, 2012 to Austria, discloses a top railmounted scalpel with three basic segments. That invention requires theuse of two hands in order to eject the blade and the blade becomestrapped in the shield, requiring the use of another action by the userto get rid of the sharps blade, which is not desirable as well as havingan impediment that all of the existing prior art possesses. Theinability to be ambidextrous, allowing for left handed and right handeduser to operate and to be trained upon one instrument in the samemanner, while enjoying all of the advantages of the “right” handedversion.

There is a need to preclude the problems associated with the prior artand the current state of technology in this field. It would bepreferable to produce a device that would provide current users with adevice that would improve upon some of the shortcomings of the priorart. Industry has set standards for their equipment and it would bedesirable to have a device that fits their standard equipment, ratherthan adapt to new equipment. Sharps users, especially surgeons, are usedto the weight, balance, fit, form and feel of their tools of the trade,and are reticent to change. It is well practiced in the medical field,that metal sharps handles are used because they possess a certain weightand balance that plastic handles have a hard time replicating. Industryneeds to adapt protections to currently used sharps, as new device areusually meet with skepticism and doubt, and are thus not used. Industrydoes not want to carry duplicative inventories of many similar productsbecause they do not work with one another.

It is also important to recognize that though only 7% of the populationare considered left-handed, over 15% of all surgeons are left-handedaccording to the British Medical Journal in 2005, which found thatleft-handed surgeons are forced to use right handed devices causing agreater incident of accidental punctures from sharps. Left handedsurgeons should be able to use device designed for left-handed surgeonswhile accommodating the number of devices that a hospital must have init's inventory. A device that is capable of use by right or left handedsurgeon reduces the amount of inventory that must be carried by thesurgical institution.

It would be desirable to have a new device be made in such a manner thatit have multiple users, and could be reusable. It would be desirable tohave the device made of autoclavable plastic or metal and designed sothat it will not have any hidden recesses or other cavities that wouldtrap harmful bacteria precluding the chance that it could beautoclavable. It would be desirable and advantageous to possess a bladeremoving apparatus which is designed not to interfere with a user'ssingle handed operation of the device while insuring that accidentalremoval of the blade is eliminated.

It would be desirable to have a scalpel to be able to be able to easilyremove and change blades during surgical procedures, whereby one handleis capable receiving multiple sizes and shapes of blades.

These and other features, advantages, and objects of the presentinvention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled inthe art by reference to the following specification, claims, andappended drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is the goal of this invention to create a sharpsprotection device that has the aforementioned characteristics ofsimplicity, protection, adaptability to current uses and safety. It isan object of this invention to create a device that will protect boththe user of the sharp as well as the person who comes in accidentalcontact with misplaced sharps, and for the person to whom the sharp istransferred.

It is an object of this invention to create a device that is operablewith a single hand and allows for the user to be either left or righthanded to operate the device. The user must be able to retract or extendthe sharps guard and be able to remove the sharp from the handle if thatoption is available to the user with the particular sharp.

It is an object of this invention to create a device that does notinterfere with the normal operation of the scalpel and that it does notsubstantially change the feel of the scalpel. It is an object of thisinvention to create a device whose design allows for the modification ofsaid design altering the weight and balance characteristics whilemaintaining overall design allowing for interchangability.

It is an object of this invention to create a device that is rapidlyinterchangeable between a wide range of sharp's blades of varying fromdifferent manufactures. The device must be simple to use and maintain.Users must be able to disassemble, clean, and reassemble in a matter ofmoments, while using gloved hands with reduced tactile feel. The devicemust have no small or intricate parts which would preclude the quickassembly of the device or that would foul or catch on the gloved handsof the surgical team.

It is an object of this invention to create a device which adapts tocurrent state of the art devices, reducing the need for training,evaluating and maintaining multiple inventories of devices and sharps.It is an object of this invention that industry standard blades, whichare accepted onto a wide range of currently existing handles, are to beused without modification to the blade or handle.

It is an object of this invention to create a device which has positivestops, including tactual and auditory signals, indicating the relativeposition of the guard, either in retraction or extension of the surgicalsafety scalpel.

It is an object of this invention to create a device that does notinvolve placing of the protective device over the sharp in such a mannerthat actually increases the likelihood of accidental contact with thesharp. The user should be able to use the device immediately “out of thebox” without having to add guarding or assemble cartridges prior to safeuse.

It is an object of this invention to create a device that will providefor safe removal of the sharp from the surgical safety scalpel whileusing only a single hand for the operation. It is a further object ofthis invention is to have the sharp blade covered during the time theusers hands are ejecting the blade, thereby reducing the chance foraccidental puncture and to restrict the possibility of having the bladeejected into the surgical arena.

It would be desirable to create a device which is autoclavable orsterilizable in any accepted means, and is cleanable withoutdisassembly, the device being absent of internal voids, sharp corners,chambers or holes which trap unsanitary material precluding the abilityto easily clean and sanitize the device through autoclaving or othermeans and reuse of the device. The use of autoclavable or autoclaving inthis specification is not a limiting factor but rather a generalstatement of the process of sterilizing and/or cleaning the device,through whatever means that are currently accessible and acceptable bythe industry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a left oblique position with the shield in the open position;

FIG. 1A is a detailed view of the rear portion of the inventiondetailing the shield's rendition device;

FIG. 2 is a right side rearward oblique view of the handle portion;

FIG. 3 is a right side frontal oblique view detailing the retentionchannel of the handle portion;

FIG. 4 is a left side rearward oblique view of the handle portion;

FIG. 5 is a left side frontal oblique view detailing the bottom portionof the handle portion;

FIG. 6 is a right side oblique perspective of the shield portion;

FIG. 7 is a left frontal oblique perspective of the shield portion;

FIG. 7A is a detailed view of FIG. 7 showing the ejectment means on theleft side of the shield;

FIG. 8 is an upper side oblique view of the shield portion;

FIG. 9 is a frontal left side oblique view of the shield in the closedposition;

FIG. 9A is a detailed view of the retention portion of the shield in theclosed position;

FIG. 10 is a left side frontal oblique view of the shield in theejectment position;

FIG. 10A is a detailed view of the retention portion of the shield inthe ejectment position;

FIG. 10B is a detailed view during the ejectment process showing theejectment means removed from the tang of the surgical blade from thehandle portion, the top portion of the shield is removed for claritypurposes only;

FIG. 10C is a detailed view during the ejectment process showing theejectment means removed from the tang of the surgical blade from thehandle portion, the top portion of the shield is removed for claritypurposes only;

FIG. 11 is a left side planar view of the invention shown whichhighlights the uniqueness of the invention and also the ability toattach the scalpel blade in an inverse orientation which allows for useof the invention by left handed as well as right handed surgeons whilemaintaining the control portion of the shield location means towards theoperator's thumb; and

FIG. 12 is a right side planar view of the invention is shown whichhighlights the uniqueness of this invention is shown in the ability toattach the scalpel blade in an inverse orientation which is shown by thescalpel number being upside down while the surgical blade's cuttingsurface is located downwardly. This view does not have the shieldattached so that one can see the clearance of the tang of the blade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This invention as disclosed in the drawings has the principle use in thesurgical environment but there exists no limiting language to preventthis invention to be practiced in other fields of use. The inventionconsists of three main elements, a handle, that holds the sharps blade,a shield that slides upon the handle, and having the shield also capableof removing the blade from the handle. This invention is a sharpsdevice, such as a knife, scalpel or box opener, with a detachableshielding means which is capable of removing said sharp from said deviceconsisting

In FIG. 1, the invention is shown from a frontal left side view. Handle100 has a distal tapered butt end 101 and a proximal end which containssharps mounting post 102 as seen in FIG. 4. Handle 100 is basicallyrectangular in shape with 2 vertical walls and 2 horizontal surfacesconjoining the vertical walls. Though the shape is not critical to thesuccess of the invention, it conforms to the feel and balance requiredby surgeons in their medical instruments. Channel 110 is located alongat least one of the horizontal surfaces of the handle. It is shown inthis invention to be on the upper horizontal surface but nothingprevents the channel to be in the lower horizontal surface with theassociated shield interfaces located on the lower side as well or bothsurfaces. FIG. 1 shows shield 200 located in the rearward open position,exposing the sharp 300.

Sharp 300 having a cutting edge 303 which is opposite of the dull edge305, sharp 300 having a vertical orientation basically parallel to thevertical faces of the handle 100. Sharp 300 has a pointed proximal end304 and a distal end containing the tang 301 of the blade. The blade 300is mounted to handle 100 through an integral mounting means 302 whichinterfaces with the sharps mounting groove 103. This invention isdesigned to accept industry standard surgical blades. FIG. 1A is adetailed view of the shield and handle interface when the shield is inthe rearward or open position.

Shield 200 contains a side mounted button 210 where said button ismounted on the interior side of the device whereby it is accessible tothe thumb of the user. Button 210 is outwardly biased due to the bias offlange 213 which flexes through flexor 209 which is integral to shield200. The rear portion 205 of shield 200 is located behind the buttonarea providing stability to the rear portion of the shield. The shape ofrear portion 205 is designed so as to provide a close fit between theshield and the tapered butt end 101 as reasonable engineering toleranceswill allow. Also shown in FIG. 1A is the rear gutter 111 which is formedat the end of channel 110 after the button rides over rear portioninclined segment guide 112. The user, as the shield transits through thechannel will feel the button move inwardly, as guidance pin 212, ashighlighted in FIG. 8, which rides in channel 110, approaches guide 112and moves over guide 112, prior to snapping into rear gutter 112terminating against rear termination wall 105. This tactile feel tellsthe user that the rearward travel is terminated and the gutter preventsaccidental forward movement of the shield without deliberate userinteraction to move the shield forward. It should be noted that thegutters are basically rectangular in nature with straight sides andbottoms. Button 210 has anti-slip feature 211, here shown as twovertical detents, which aid the user in finding the button throughgloves and prevents accidental slippage of the users thumb from thebutton during use. Alternate forms of anti-slip designs are availablethat can serve the same purpose or function.

FIG. 2 shows the right side of the handle which shows optional ruler 104which can be incorporated into this right side of the handle. FIG. 2also highlights the radiused lead-in frontal edges. Upper frontal edge108 and lower frontal edge 109 are similar in construction and shape andare designed to accommodate the attachment of sharp 300 in either aupwards or downward orientation while attached to the proximal end 102of the handle. Steam hole 106 is present to allow for passage of steamfrom one side of the handle to the other. Steam slot 107, shown in FIG.3, is recessed in order to facilitate the flow of steam duringautoclaving and the depth of the slot is also used as a weighing method,where the amount of material relieved from the handle directly effectsthe weight and the weighting characteristics of the handle to thepreference of the user. FIG. 3 is an upper view highlighting channel110. Forward inclined segment guide 113 is similar to the shape andfunction of rearward guide 112. The users forward progress of the shieldis terminated against forward termination wall 117 and the guidance pin212 rides over guide 113 and naturally fall into forward gutter 118,trapping the shield in the forward or closed position.

Ejectment inclined guide 114 is shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The heightof the incline is at least twice that of the other two guides, 112 and113. This increased height prevents accidental dislodgement of theshield in the forward position into the ejectment position. The usermust consciously depress button 210 with a force at least twice that ofthe force necessary to transit the shield from the open to the closedposition. This extra force again designed to prevent accidentalejectment of the sharp from the handle. Once the user decides to ejectthe blade, the user depresses the button whereby pin 212 enters intoejectment bay 119, as shown in FIG. 4, riding down ejectment slope 116terminating into forward ejectment gutter 115. At this point the bladehas been removed, as discussed later, and the user retracts the shield,against wall 124 which defines the rear portion of ejectment bay 119.Forward gutter 118 is also used for shield attachment and detachment aswell. For the user to remove the shield from the handle places theshield into the forward or closed positions with pin 212 in the forwardgutter 118. The user then must retract the button, opposite ofdepressing the button, to allow for pin 212 to clear gutter 118 and theshield is then slid to forwardly. This is another unique safety feature,whereby the user must use a motion opposite of the normal operatingmotions of depressing the button in order to remove the shield, therebyreducing the risk of accidental removal of the shield, possibly exposingthe sharp. Another unique safety feature is that the removal of theshield from the handle, necessitates the removal of the sharp from thehandle as well, as discussed below, further reducing the risk ofaccidental contact with the exposed sharp. FIG. 5 shows the lowerhorizontal surface of handle 100 showing the upper and lower tang stops123 and 122 respectively. FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 detail the weighting bar121, which is designed to allow for specific user's preferencesregarding the weighting characteristics of their preferred scalpel. Theheight of bar 121 and contouring of bar 121 can adjust the amount andlocation of the weighting of the handle 100.

FIG. 6 shows the rear or right side 206 of the exterior portion ofshield 200 where it can be seen that the shield is not a solidcylindrical object. In the manufacturing process of forming the shield,which starts as a flat piece, mating area 208 is purposefully left as agap to facilitate better steam movement during the autoclaving processand reduces the amount of material needed for the shield therebyreducing cost and weight. Rear steam slots 207 allows for entrance ofsteam should the shield be in the open position during the autoclavingprocess. The shape of rear steam slot 207 and front steams slots 203 areshown in this example as curved arcs, but any shape or design isavailable so long as the purpose of steam passage is accomplished. FIG.7 shows the front view of shield 200 showing the concave entrance 204which reduces the weight and materials needed while still givingprotection over the critical middle part of the shield protecting usersfrom the sharp proximate end 304 of said sharp 300. FIG. 7A details theejector means which is integral to shield 200, whereby shield containsto ejector windows 213, separated by a solid bar 214 along the exteriorportion of shield 200 which separates the two ejector means. The ejectormeans consists of a shovel nosed ejectment mechanism 216 which is heldin an extended position by extension 217 whereby mechanism 216 issubstantially parallel to the interior face of shield 200. Eachextension 217 holds each ejector mechanism 216 in a location wherebyejector mechanism 216 is coincident with tang 301 of blade 300 when theshield is in the closed position. In this invention, mechanism 216 isslightly under tang 301, but does not have to be in this location whilethe shield is in the closed position. It is only critical that themechanism is capable of removing the tang 301 of blade 300 while shieldtransits into the ejectment segment. Each ejector mechanism slideslaterally within lower or upper ejector guide 120 and 125, as the shieldtransits between the open and closed position. FIG. 9 and detail FIG. 9Ashow the position of the shield at the closed position. At this point,though not shown, mechanism 216 is appurtenant to tang 301 of sharp 300.In FIG. 10 and detail FIG. 10A, the shield is moved into the ejectmentsegment whereby the blade is removed from the sharps mounting post 102,and freely falls into a sharps container guided by the interior portionof shield 300. FIG. 10C details the relationship between mechanism 216and tang 301 as the shield is moved forward. FIG. 10B details sharp 300as the integral mounting means 302 as it is removed from mounting groove103. As described herein, due to the increased amount of pressure neededto move the shield into the ejectment portion from the closed position,the fact that mechanism 216 is behind tang 301 at this position is not adetriment, as accidental dislodgement is not a consideration.

Another unique feature of this invention is the ability to insert thesharp into either a cutting edge facing upwards or downwards as is morecommonly done. Due to the shape and location of the tang stops 122 and123, a sharps can be inserted in the normal cutting side downconfiguration as seen FIG. 1 or a sharp can be inserted in an upwardconfiguration such as seen in FIGS. 11 and 12, as one can see theorientation of the number “3” on the butt portion of the handle 100.Since there are many surgeons and sharps users that are left handed, itis a unique advantage of this invention to be ambidextrous. Currentlyleft handed surgeon must use instruments designed for right handedusers, where the controls are on the opposite side of the instrument andtraining on the instruments are aimed for right handed users, causingleft handed users to either adapt to a right handed instrument or beforced to develop their own procedures. This invention allows for eithera left handed or a right handed user to operate the device in the exactsame manner, reducing the chances of errors due to improper handling andtraining on the use of the surgical device.

It can be appreciated by those appropriately skilled in the art thatchanges, modifications or embodiments can be made to this inventionwithout departing from the spirit, principles, theories, ideas orconceptions that have been disclosed in the foregoing. It is hereinrecognized that the embodiments disclosed by this description of thebest mode of practicing this invention, which will be hereafterdescribed in their full breadth in the claims and equivalents thereof.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A scalpel handle, comprising: a body havinga sharps mounting post disposed at a first end thereof; and a shieldretained on the body and slideable between a retracted position and anejectment position, the shield including a first ejectment arm extendingwithin an interior of the shield in a substantially fixed lateralposition at least partially aligned with a portion of the sharpsmounting post to pass the first end of the body and at least a rearwardend of the sharps mounting post during movement of the shield into theejectment position.
 2. The scalpel handle of claim 1, wherein: thesharps mounting post joins with the body along a first lateral side ofthe sharps mounting post and defines a second lateral side of the sharpsmounting post that extends laterally away from the first lateral sideand includes mounting groove; and the ejectment arm extends inwardlyfrom a portion of the shield adjacent the second lateral side of thesharps mounting post, the fixed lateral position being such that aportion of the ejectment arm is opposite the mounting groove from theportion of the shield.
 3. The scalpel handle of claim 1, wherein: thefirst ejectment arm is positioned on a first vertical side of the sharpsmounting post; and the shield further includes a second ejectment armpositioned on a second vertical side of the sharps mounting post andextending within the interior of the shield in a substantially fixedlateral position at least partially aligned with the portion of thesharps mounting post.
 4. The scalpel handle of claim 3, wherein: thebody defines first and second longitudinal ejector guides extendinglaterally inwardly from a side of the body adjacent the first and secondejectment arms and respectively positioned on the first and secondvertical sides of the sharps mounting post; and the first and secondejectment arms extend respectively into the first and second ejectorguides.
 5. The scalpel handle of claim 1, wherein: the handle definesfirst and second opposite long surfaces, first and second opposite shortsurfaces extending between the long surfaces, and a first channelrecessed into the first horizontal surface, the first channel extendingalong a longitudinal axis of the handle; and the shield includes aguidance pin extending into and traversing the channel during movementof the shield between the retracted position, in which the shield ispositioned away from the sharps mounting post, and an extended positionbetween the retracted position and the ejectment position, in which theshield extends over the sharps mounting post.
 6. The scalpel handle ofclaim 5, wherein the shield further includes a positioning releasebutton located on an exterior portion of the shield and connected to theexterior portion and outwardly-biased therefrom by a flange, theguidance pin being positioned on the shield positioning release button;the channel includes a first detent positioned along a portion thereofand disposed toward the shield positioning release button; and theguidance pin is engageable with the detent by the outward biasingthereof and is disengageable from the detent by inward movement of theshield positioning release button.
 7. The scalpel handle of claim 6,wherein the detent is positioned within the channel such that thechannel interface guidance pin engages the detent when the shield is inthe extended position to restrict movement of the shield into either theejectment position or the retracted position.
 8. The scalpel handle ofclaim 7, wherein the detent is positioned within the channel such thatthe guidance pin engages the detent when the shield is in the retractedposition to restrict movement of the shield toward the extendedposition.
 9. The scalpel handle of claim 7, wherein the detent isadjacent an inwardly-extending ramp portion.
 10. A scalpel handle,comprising: a body defining first and second opposite long surfaces,first and second opposite short surfaces extending between the longsurfaces, and a first channel recessed into the first horizontalsurface, the channel extending along a latitudinal axis of the handle,the body including a sharps mounting post extending from a first end ofthe body and extending away from the channel; and a shield retained onthe body and slideable therealong, the shield including: a guidance pinextending into and traversing the channel during movement of the shieldbetween a retracted position, in which the shield is positioned awayfrom the sharps mounting post, and an extended position, in which theshield extends over the sharps mounting post; and a first ejectment armextending within an interior of the shield in a substantially fixedlateral position at least partially aligned with a portion of the sharpsmounting post to pass the first end of the body and at least a rearwardend of the sharps mounting post during movement of the shield into theejectment position.
 11. The scalpel handle of claim 10, wherein: thechannel includes a first detent positioned along a portion thereofdisposed toward the first vertical side of the handle; the shieldfurther includes a positioning release button located on an exteriorportion of the shield and connected to the exterior portion andoutwardly-biased therefrom by a flange, the channel interface guidancepin being positioned on the shield positioning release button; and thedetent extends toward the shield positioning release button such thatthe channel interface guidance pin is engageable with the detent by theoutward biasing thereof and is disengageable from the guidance pin byinward movement of the shield positioning release button.
 12. Thescalpel handle of claim 11, wherein the first detent is positionedwithin the channel such that the guidance pin engages the first detentwhen the shield is in the extended position to restrict movement of theshield into either the ejectment position or the retracted position. 13.The scalpel handle of claim 12, wherein the first detent is open on thefirst vertical side of the handle to define a release channeltraversable by the guidance pin by an outward force on the positioningrelease button beyond the natural outwardly-biased position thereof. 14.The scalpel handle of claim 12, wherein the first detent is flanked byfirst and second inwardly-extending ramp portions that respectivelyextend inwardly from portions of the channel disposed away from thedetent toward the detent, the first detent being disposed toward theejectment position and extending inwardly a first distance that isgreater than a second distance through which the second ramp portionextends.
 15. The scalpel handle of claim 11, wherein the first detent ispositioned within the channel such that the guidance pin engages thedetent when the shield is in the retracted position to restrict movementof the shield toward the extended position.
 16. The scalpel handle ofclaim 15, wherein the detent is adjacent an inwardly-extending rampportion.
 17. The scalpel handle of claim 11, wherein: the first detentis positioned within the channel such that the guidance pin engages thefirst detent when the shield is in the extended position to restrictmovement of the shield into either the ejectment position or theretracted position; and a second detent is positioned within the channelsuch that the channel interface guidance pin engages the second detentwhen the shield is in the retracted position to restrict movement of theshield toward the extended position.
 18. The scalpel handle of claim 10,wherein: the body defines a longitudinal ejector guide extendinglaterally inwardly from the first side of the body and positioned on afirst vertical sides of the sharps mounting post; and the firstejectment arm extends into the first ejector guide.
 19. The scalpelhandle of claim 18, wherein: the shield further includes a secondejectment arm extending within an interior of the shield in asubstantially fixed lateral position at least partially aligned with aportion of the sharps mounting post; the body further defines a secondlongitudinal ejector guide extending laterally inwardly the first sideof the body and positioned on the second vertical side of the sharpsmounting post; and the second ejectment arm extends into the secondejector guide.
 20. A scalpel handle, comprising: a body including asharps mounting post extending from a first end of the body, the bodydefining first and second opposite long surfaces, first and secondopposite short surfaces extending between the long surfaces, a detentrecessed into the first horizontal surface, and an ejectment channelportion extending from the detent toward the first end; and a shieldretained on the body and slideable therealong between an extendedposition and an ejectment position, the shield including: a guidance pinpositioned on an outwardly-biased positioning release button andengaging with the detent when the shield is in the extended position andbeing slideable into the ejectment channel upon inward deflection of thepositioning release button; and a first ejectment arm extending withinan interior of the shield in a substantially fixed lateral position atleast partially aligned with a portion of the sharps mounting post topass at least a rearward portion of the sharps mounting post duringmovement of the shield from the extended position to the ejectmentposition.